“That tells me absolutely nothing about how you’re different from him.”
Rob leaned over and pressed his palm to my cheek. “Is my hand warm?”
With wide eyes, I stared at him for a long moment, wondering what he was trying to accomplish. His hand was warm, and pleasantly so, and I was also aware of how soft his skin was against mine. “I guess,” I mumbled.
“Would you say my warming you with my hand is damaging to me?”
“No, I guess not.”
“That’s why I’m different. All I need to do is be near someone with strong emotions. I do no harm to them—or to you. Just like you benefit from the warmth of my hand.”
“Benefit is a strong word,” I muttered, ducking away from his hand. I touched my cheek. “It really doesn’t hurt. What’s wrong with you? That’s not normal.”
Rob chuckled. “Let me get you some more soup. Then it’s time for you to get more rest. You’re so tired you’re not making any sense. There’s nothing wrong with me, Miss Daegberht. There’s nothing wrong with you, either, and don’t let anyone tell you otherwise.
Chapter Twenty
It took me three more days to recover from my kidnapping. My wrist was still a mess, but it had healed enough I could use my left hand and no longer needed painkillers. Colby ended up spending the vast majority of time with me, although I had some faint memories of Rob nearby while I slept. Either due to my request or the fact I was recovering fast enough for his liking, he didn’t drug me again.
He left antibiotics for me to help with the infection, and I chose to take them when he wasn’t looking.
I valued my hand and my pride.
Without the drugs and cold hampering me, I could think—and work on a plan to escape Kenneth’s chokehold on my life. I lounged on the couch while Colby bounced on the coffee table.
“Mommy,” my roommate said, nudging the television’s remote.
“We are not watching the news again, Colby. We watched the news an hour ago. It’s on repeat. If I see President Mayfield’s speech one more time, I’m going to go insane.” It wasn’t even a new speech; it was his second one playing over and over for those who somehow managed to miss it the first few hundred times it had aired.
“Mommy,” Colby whined.
“If you want useful news, you need to hit the streets. They sanitize everything on the broadcasts. You saw the so-called reports. Everything is fine. Not a single peep about the fact thousands of people had disappeared during the Dawn of Dae. Don’t let their fake bullshit rot your noodle brain.”
“Mommy,” Colby chided.
“What? It’s true; it’s bullshit. At least they don’t seem to be pushing their recruitment agenda quite as much anymore.”
I expected a lot of problems once I returned to Baltimore, but if I didn’t have to interview the hopefuls any longer—and I found a way to deal with Kenneth—I’d be fine. Owing Rob for the help stung my pride, but I’d think of a way to even the field between us one way or another. Once I paid back my debt, I’d make certain he understood I wasn’t his property.
I wasn’t sure if I believed the dae. Could claiming me as his actually somehow protect me?
If so, we were going to have a long talk about why he thought I needed his protection. I would figure out how to protect myself from any dae leeches wanting to use me as food. I had no intention of relying on anyone other than me. Business arrangements for my profit I could stomach; working for Kenneth provided me money while furthering his plans.
I could deal with business arrangements. While I had no idea how I was going to recover Kenneth’s drugs, I’d figure something out. My first step would be to gain access to a laptop or tablet and an internet connection. I’d figure out where Terry Moore used to live, track down his closest friends, and start looking for the markers of a drug user. As soon as I had likely targets, my job would be easy enough. I’d wait until no one was home, break in, get proof of the goods, and take it to Kenneth.
I’d finish the job, get paid, and make my stand. If Kenneth ever wanted my help with anything, he’d do it on my terms. Although him killing me over my behavior was a risk, it’d be one I’d face with pride.
It was better to die free than a slave to anyone.
“Mommy?” Colby whined.
“I’m fine, Colby.” I hopped off the couch and made my way across the house to the bedroom. There were at least six different silk nightgowns for me to choose from, but there were no actual clothes. I searched through the garments again, grumbling over the presence of several sets of lingerie.
I wanted to be offended over Rob’s selections, but they were so pretty—and far more modest than I expected a man to select.
“Mommy?” Colby bounced onto the bed and made itself at home beside the pile of pillows I had claimed as mine.
“It’s too cold to go outside in this, isn’t it?” I muttered.
“Mommy.”
Great, I was being scolded by my leftovers. I sighed.
“What are you doing?” Rob murmured in my ear. With a startled shriek, I whirled around and tripped over my own feet. He caught me, sliding his arm around my waist and pulling me to him. “Colby, I left something for you in the kitchen. Could you take care of it, please? Take your time.”
“Mommy,” it confirmed, darting to the end of the bed before leaping off, darting through the doorway to disappear down the hall.
“You’re doing better. Already scheming on how to make your escape?” Rob grinned at me, giving me a shove towards the bed. It was safer than being so close to him, so I sat down. My heart was ready to leap into my throat and choke me, but after several swallows, I forced myself to relax.
Rob smiled, and his playful expression melted away his older appearance once again. “If you want to go out, ask. I’m more than happy to take you where you want to go.”
No matter how hard I thought about it, he didn’t make sense to me. Maybe I didn’t trust Rob or his motives, but he hadn’t done anything to hurt me. I reminded myself of that fact several more times, and determined to be polite to him, I gathered my composure and ignored my damaged pride.
It wasn’t his fault Arthur had kidnapped me. It wasn’t his fault I had become ill. He had never shown any anger towards me, not even when I had bitten him for putting his fingers against my mouth and embarrassing me.
“I have things to do,” I stated, careful to keep my tone of voice as neutral as possible.
“Things dealing with Kenneth Smith?” Rob’s smile faded.
“I have a job to do, and if I don’t, I’m screwed,” I reminded him.
“Terry Moore again,” the dae grumbled.
“Yes.”
“I figured I wouldn’t be able to change your mind about doing that scum’s dirty work. Very well. How can I help?”
I tensed. “I don’t need your help to do my job.”
“You don’t, but I’m giving it, regardless. I don’t like what he’s having you do. It’s too dangerous, you’re not paid nearly what you’re worth, and it’s too risky for you.”
I flushed, but because his accusations were true, I kept my mouth shut.
A hint of his smile returned. “I have a proposal for you.”
“A proposal,” I echoed.
“You’ll allow me to work with you and help you deal with this Terry Moore problem. In exchange, I will give you information. Since I made your work more difficult, I think it’s only fair I repay that debt and aid you in your efforts.”
“What sort of information?”
“Places Terry Moore has lived in the past six months, the addresses of his parents’ estates, and a list of places he frequented before his death.” Rob smirked, relaxing and shoving his hands into his pants pockets. “It’ll save you a lot of time.”
I frowned, considering how long it would take me to gather that much information, especially if I couldn’t access secure databases. Several days was a conservative estimate. Rob’s recent absence make a great deal more sen
se to me. “You were out getting that information. That’s why you’ve been gone.”
“If Mr. Smith ever realizes how much he has underestimated your intellect, he is going to be very annoyed. I hope I’m there to witness it.” Rob’s smirk grew into a grin. “That is, indeed, what I was doing. I think it’s a fair exchange. I want to see you work, Miss Daegberht. I’ll try not to get in your way.”
“I don’t take dead weight on hunts,” I replied, narrowing my eyes. “What do you have to offer besides information—information I can find out on my own?”
“How does a pair of handguns and a rifle sound?”
Handguns sounded nice, and a rifle sounded even better. “Are we talking a hunting rifle or an assault rifle? Are dae immune to bullets?”
Rob’s eyes hardened, and his grin turned predatory. “Assault. In many ways, we’re not so different from humans. If you cut us, we bleed.”
“Unless you’re Colby,” I muttered.
“Colby is a rather notable exception, yes. Do we have a deal?”
“I’ll think about it,” I replied. I considered Rob, and once again, my curiosity roused. While I had been taking antibiotics to aid my wrist’s healing, I was clean of other drugs. “Let me see your hand.”
Rob stepped closer, sliding his hand out of his pocket and holding his arm out. I poked his palm with a finger and counted for a minute before staring at my skin.
There was no sign of redness.
“Aren’t you satisfied I’m not going to hurt you?” Rob sighed.
“No, I’m not,” I spluttered, grabbing hold of his wrist. His skin was really warm, soft and smooth compared to mine, which was marred from scars and callouses.
His suit jacket and shirt prevented me from examining his arms, so I focused my attention on his palm and ran my fingers over the lines crisscrossing his hand. Maybe he was a dae, but his hands looked human.
“You’re so much like a human.”
“I’m as close to human as dae get.”
“How are you different?”
“Physically, I’m not that different from human men, I suppose. Our blood is different, and I’m pretty sure that while we share similar internal organs, mine are less critical than yours—at least some of them. It’s not something that’s been extensively studied, although I’m sure someone will start carving up dae cadavers to find out soon enough.”
“But dae turn to ash when they die.”
“That’s changing. The newborns are now old enough to maintain their forms.”
“Oh.”
“No redness?” he asked.
I released him, staring at my hand. “No redness.”
“I told you I wasn’t drugging you to prevent any reactions.”
All of the things I couldn’t do with others and all of the interesting things I had been told about but hadn’t been able to experience for myself rattled around in my head. Rob could touch me.
I could do all of the things with him women like Lily talked about and liked. My face burned as the realization sank in.
With him, I wouldn’t have to die a virgin or wonder what it would be like to kiss someone. No one would care who I slept with; everyone from the fringe assumed only the younger girls were virgins, anyway.
Even Lily believed I had slept with someone. To her, my reluctance to go to bed with Kenneth was a matter of pride and spite. No one except Arthur and Rob had any idea I couldn’t enjoy a man’s touch like other women could.
“Is something wrong?” Rob asked.
“Why did you make that absurd claim I was yours when you came out of my refrigerator?” I demanded, fighting against the urge to clap my hands over my face to hide my blush.
“I had to before someone else did,” he replied, snorting. “I saw you, and I knew I had to have you. It’s as simple as that.”
“You realize I have a say in this, right?” I scowled. “I get to decide.”
Rob crossed his arms over his chest and matched my scowl. “Why don’t I get to decide?”
“How would you like it if I decided you were mine and you had no say in it?”
“I’d be okay with that.”
That wasn’t what I was expecting him to say. Flabbergasted, I turned my head so I wouldn’t have to look him in the eyes. “Bullshit. You would have to forget about other women entirely. Are you saying you’re capable of that? I don’t share.”
It was a challenge, and it was one most people would laugh at me for issuing. Only the religious and the super-wealthy elite cared about monogamous relationships. People slept with who they wanted, and that was that. People in the middle caste cared sometimes, but only because the government DNA tested parents and children to keep track of who deserved what benefits.
Rob leaned towards me, pressed his finger to my chin, and turned my head so I was forced to face him. “I don’t share, either. You’re mine exclusively. Did I forget to mention that?”
“I’m not property.”
Rob grinned at me, pressing his fingers to my mouth. “You’re pretty when you’re angry. Your eyes are so full of fire and life.”
“I’m still not your property.”
“I’ll enjoy every moment I spend arguing with you over this. However, it’s a discussion that can wait until later. There are more important issues to deal with first. I want to accompany you while you do Mr. Smith’s dirty work. I have the information. I can provide you with weapons, should you want them. I’ll be able to keep up with you, no matter where you need to go.”
“How do I know you’ll do what I say when I say it? I don’t need your help to do my job.”
“Ah, but with me, you’d get it done a lot faster, and then we can deal with Arthur once and for all.” Rob straightened, lowering his hand from my mouth. “Two birds with one stone. We can remove your obligations to Kenneth Smith and hunt Arthur Hasling at the same time.”
“Have you found him yet?”
Rob’s expression darkened. “No. You’re going to have to show me where he held you captive. No one knows where he is, not his employer, no one.”
“Prove I can trust you to do what I need you to do when we’re out there. Once you do, I’ll consider it.”
“How would you like me to prove it?”
I considered him, looking him over from head to toe. Was it the suit that made him look good despite him being older than me? The fact I could touch him and explore him without consequence helped.
I wanted to know what a man could offer me and if one was as good as Lily and the other girls claimed. “Maybe I want you to give me a reason to keep you around. You are rather annoying, and the whole treating me like property bullshit is rather obnoxious. Make it worth my while. Your information is nice, but I can get that on my own. I don’t generally need weapons, so they’re just a bonus. What else can you offer me?”
“I will be helping you get your revenge on Hasling,” he muttered, crossing his arms over his chest. The way he glared brought out the vivid blue in his eyes. “You’re stubborn.”
I smiled at the frustration in his tone. “Elites are so often out of shape, incapable of keeping up with the hard working men and women of the fringe. It must be so difficult walking around all day looking pretty. Can you keep up with me? Are you going to slow me down?”
Rob blinked, his brows furrowing. After a long moment, his eyes widened, and he laughed. “Did you just call me pretty?”
“Is there muscle under that suit, or are you like Kenneth?” I narrowed my eyes, focusing my attention on his tie. Rob really liked blue ties; almost all of them were some shade of blue or another. “He sits around all day and lets us bitches do his dirty work, you know.”
“You’re not his bitch,” the dae snapped.
I ignored his annoyance, although part of me appreciated the way he spoke without hesitation. “You’ll slow me down if you’re not in shape. It’s in my better interests to know what’s under that suit of yours.”
Rob narrowed his eyes and reached for his tie
, loosening the knot. “You want me out of my clothes.”
“How does it feel to be property, Rob?” I sat straighter, crossing my legs while watching his fingers work at his tie.
His gaze dropped to my bare legs and stayed there. “If I didn’t know better, Miss Daegberht, I’d say you were flirting with me.”
“I’m pretty sure I’m telling you I need to see if you’re a flabby liability,” I replied, smirking at him. Maybe I had no experience with men, but I had listened to Lily often enough to know how she kept one’s attention. Her legs were far nicer than mine, always waxed smooth.
Rob didn’t seem to mind the fact I hadn’t shaved, and his eyes followed my every movement as I shifted my weight and crossed my legs the other way.
“I assure you I will not be a liability.”
“I’ve seen Kenneth without his shirt on. He might look lean, but there’s no real muscle on him.” I wrinkled my nose, knowing full well the elite had gone out of his way to run around without his jacket and shirt to try to entice me into his bed.
Those days were the ones Lily hated me the most.
Kenneth was attractive enough, but I liked him better with his clothes on.
“You’ve been around Kenneth when he’s not wearing a shirt?” Rob’s gaze shifted from my legs and swept upwards. He focused on my face, and his mouth twisted into a scowl.
“Strategic planning on his part,” I murmured, and because I wanted him to understand what it was like to feel like a piece of meat, I snapped my fingers and gestured at his jacket. “You’ll wear your tie out if you keep fiddling with it like that. Do you have the goods or not?”
Rob snorted pulled his tie over his head. With a flick of his wrist, he sent the end whipping at me. I had no idea how he managed it, but the loop settled around my right hand. “Do you really want to know?”
“Don’t like being bossed around, do you? If you want to stay underfoot and in my way, you better not be a slob under that shirt, Rob. I don’t need you getting in my way while I’m working.”
With a twist and a tug, Rob tightened his tie around my wrist. “If you want to see me demonstrate my strength, Miss Daegberht, try to pull free. You won’t.”
The Dawn of Dae (Dae Portals Book 1) Page 22
